Health equity is an environment in which “everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible.” Health insurance providers are committed to achieving health equity and believe that every American deserves access to affordable, high-quality care and health coverage, regardless of race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, or disability.
For years, communities whose residents are minority populations have a long history of being underserved and under-represented, resulting in persistent discrimination and systemic racism, which have served as barriers to health equity. And the onset of COVID-19 made these disparities in health care even more clear.
That’s why health insurance providers are taking measurable actions to improve health equity and address social barriers to better health, which include factors like insecure housing, poor nutrition, and lack of transportation. Social barriers have a foundation in inequitable distribution of resources and unjust policies, the underlying factors that contribute directly to health inequity.
Here are some of the ways health insurance providers are fighting for equity in health care:
Listening to Leaders
Fighting for health equity begins with listening. As part of our Health Equity Spotlight, AHIP talked with a diverse group of health care leaders to better understand the challenges facing minority and underserved communities and how we can work together to effect change.
Serving Communities in Need
Health insurance providers have been working with federal, state, and local leaders to ensure Americans can get vaccinated as quickly and equitably as possible. Through the Vaccine Community Connectors initiative, health insurance providers have committed to promote health equity by enabling the vaccination of 2 million seniors age 65+ in America’s communities that are most at-risk and underserved—such as African American and Hispanic communities.
Taking Decisive Action
Achieving health equity means addressing factors that go beyond “traditional” health care. In fact, many social barriers in everyday life play a large role in personal health and health outcomes. These factors include limited access to healthy foods, reliable transportation, or health care services, as well as unsafe or unstable housing.
Everyone in America has the right to live their best, healthiest life. Health insurance providers are committed to fighting for health equity and improving health outcomes for every Americans.
Resources:
- Health Plans in Action
- Project Link: Addressing Social Barriers to Good Health
- Health Insurance Providers Actions Concerning SDOH
- Improving Health Equity and Outcomes by Addressing Health Disparities (3/25/21)
- Improving Health Equity Through Medicaid Managed Care (3/15/21)
- AHIP Five Sustainable Improvements for Health Care (3/9/21)
- Vaccine Community Connectors (3/3/21)
- AHIP Health Equity Spotlight (2/24/21)
- Social Determinants of Health and Medicaid Policy Recommendations (2/17/21)
- COVID-19 and Beyond: Addressing Vaccine Equity (12/14/20)
- Here’s How We Can Improve Health Equity Together (12/3/20)